HAMMOND - Jorge Esqueda, 24, of East Chicago, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Esqueda was sentenced to 108 months in prison.
According to documents in the case, Esqueda entered a guilty plea for conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity for his role and participation in the Latin Kings Street Gang. As part of his plea agreement, Esqueda admitted that, as a member of the Latin Kings, he was a manager or supervisor of criminal activity, that he was responsible for between 3.5 and 5 kilograms of cocaine as drug weight relevant conduct, and that he possessed a firearm in connection with his offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the East Chicago Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Gary Police Department, the Hammond Police Department, the Lake County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Department and Lake County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area officers and agents. The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office has also provided assistance. The Latin King case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Nozick and Dean Lanter of the Northern District of Indiana along with the Department of Justice Trial Attorney Joseph Cooley.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
